PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Beaver County Emergency Management Center in Ambridge monitored the river and stream predictions and reports from the field.

“What we’re hoping for is a little rain, a slow thaw and just let the ice break up itself and flow through,” said Wesley Hill, of Beaver County Emergency Management.

There were chunks of ice flowing down Connoquenessing Creek in North Sewickley Township on Friday. It’s one of many creeks running high and running fast.

But other parts of Connoquennessing Creek were still covered with ice from shore to shore, a situation that makes flooding predictions more complicated.

A few miles away Brush Creek Road in Independence Township was closed because water began to spill over its banks.

Nobody wanted to take the chance that the water would remain that low. And no one wanted to take the chance they’d be caught on this road should the waters rise quickly.

“What we’ve been working on today, talking with our different municipalities in the back areas or the low lying areas, is the streams and creeks,” said Hill. “They’re still partially, if not completely froze over, and with the rain and the thaw, and the ice still being jammed bank to bank, that’s really where we could have some issues and that’s what we’re watching.”

Meanwhile, river water is gradually on the rise at The Point in Downtown Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Parking Authority has closed the Mon Wharf until further notice.

Harold Hayes joined KDKA-TV in August of 1979 as a general assignment reporter and has covered everything from military operations in the Middle East to landmark local court cases.
His overseas coverage includes Operation Desert Shield in Saudi...